By definition, energy is the capacity to perform work. From a physics perspective, the energy of an object can be expressed as either potential energy or kinetic energy. For these expressions, potential energy differs from kinetic energy in that potential energy is determined by the position of the object in the earth's gravitational field. On the other hand, kinetic energy is determined by the motion of the object through the earth's gravitational field.
It is well known that when an object of weight W falls from a high point where it has zero velocity, to a low point where it again has zero velocity, the object loses potential energy as it falls. During the fall, however, the object also generates kinetic energy by virtue of its velocity. With this in mind, the machine of the present invention involves considerations for a tradeoff between both forms of energy.
In the gravitational field of a Newtonian reference frame there are two forces that are familiar to everyone. These forces are gravity and buoyancy. As a practical matter, with regard to an object having a predetermined mass and density, there are two characteristics of the gravity and buoyancy forces acting on an object in a gravitational field that are universally agreed upon. One is the fact that they will act on the object at the same time in opposite directions to each other. The other characteristic is that the forces of buoyancy and gravity on an object are constant and cannot be altered.
For an example of the counteracting effects that gravity and buoyancy will have on a buoyant object, consider the case where the object is dropped onto a straight path into a pool of water, from a start point at a predetermined height above the pool. Immediately upon entering the pool, the buoyant force on the object overcomes the gravity force on the object (i.e. its weight). The result here is that the object will decelerate to a rest point in the pool where it will have zero velocity. Unless somehow altered, it will then return along the same path from the submerged rest point to the surface of the poor under the influence of its buoyancy force. In the case of a pool, the object will return to the surface of the pool.
Clearly, in order to repeatedly benefit from the kinetic energy that is generated by a buoyant object during its fall into a pool, the object cannot be left floating in the pool. Instead, it must somehow be returned to its original start point above the surface of the pool. One way to do this is to establish an offset underwater pathway for the object that extends upward and beyond the surface of the pool, back up to the original start point. With such an underwater pathway, instead of stopping at the surface of the pool, a buoyant object will continue along the offset underwater pathway from its submerged rest point to the original start point.
A machine that incorporates such an underwater pathway as suggested above, is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/677,800 for an invention entitled “Machine Generator with Cyclical, Vertical Mass Transport Mechanism” which was filed on Aug. 15, 2017 by the inventor of the present invention. As disclosed in this earlier filed patent application, there are at least three interrelated considerations to be addressed for the establishment of an underwater pathway. These include: i) providing a bi-level water tank having an upper surface that is level with an original start point at a height above its lower surface; ii) maintaining a height differential between the upper surface and the lower surface; and iii) cyclically reestablishing an underwater pathway that is offset from the object's drop path to accommodate the travel of successive objects along the underwater pathway. The present invention is focused on the last consideration, i.e. cyclically reestablishing the underwater pathway.
Based on the disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/677,800, mentioned above, an important consideration for reestablishing an underwater pathway is the power requirement for repetitively lifting a vertically-oriented column of water in the bi-level tank. In particular, this power requirement arises for two interrelated reasons. Firstly, power is required to prevent drainage from the bi-level tank when both its upper and lower surfaces are exposed. For this purpose a valve mechanism is provided to isolate the lower surface of the bi-level tank from the upper surface by closing off an upper portion of the underwater pathway. This action thus allows the lower surface to be open so an object can enter the tank through the open lower surface. The consequence of this, however, is a rise in the level of the lower surface of the bi-level tank. Secondly, after the object has entered the bi-level tank, power is required by the valve mechanism to open the underwater pathway and allow the object to continue moving along the underwater pathway toward the upper surface, while the lower surface is covered. During this time, while the underwater pathway is open, a volume of air or a solid mass that corresponds to the object's volume is injected into (i.e. created in) the bi-level tank. The purpose here is to displace water in the bi-level tank by lifting a column of water toward the upper surface of the bi-level tank. When this lifting action is completed, the valve mechanism again closes off the underwater pathway and exposes the lower surface. Then, as the air volume is removed from the tank, the lower surface level drops back to where it was before. In particular, as noted above, this is done so that a successive object can enter the bi-level tank.
Specifically, the above described actions regarding upper and lower surface levels are directed to the consideration for maintaining a height differential between the upper surface and the lower surface of the bi-level tank. During an operation, however, this requires lifting a vertically-oriented column of water. Because, the vertically-oriented column of water will inevitably be very heavy, e.g. several tons, the power requirement for the operation of a bi-level tank as considered above will necessarily be substantial.
With the above in mind, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a system for lifting a vertically-oriented column of water which minimizes the power requirement for moving the water column. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for cyclically lifting a vertically-oriented column of water which can continuously accommodate a succession of objects as they are cycled through a bi-level tank. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system for lifting a vertically-oriented column of water which is easy to operate, is environmentally “green”, and is commercially viable.